Eighth hole a scourge to local, foreign bets

MANILA, Philippines - True to its billing, Wack Wack East’s No. 8 proved to be the toughest with seven double bogeys recorded when play was halted due to lightning with 25 flights still to complete play in the first round of the $300,000 ICTSI-Philippine Open yesterday.

Juvic Pagunsan, one of the local bets tipped to contend for the crown, and Benjie Magada, a leg winner on the local ICTSI-PGT circuit, were two of those who ended up with a 5 while 33 others bogeyed the 191-yard, par-3 hole, situated on an elevated green with menacing greenside bunkers and undulating surface.

It, however, yielded 11 birdies against 48 pars for a 3.36 average.

Dubbed as one of the toughest holes in Asia, the hole has claimed many victims, including Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang who made a 12 while in contention in the third round of the fabled event’s 2008 edition won by Angelo Que.

Another par-3 hole, No. 16, was the second toughest with a 3.35 average with five coming out with double bogeys and 27 making bogeys with only four scoring birdies and 63 matching par.

The third most difficult was the par-4 No. 6 with a 4.27 average. Two wound up with a 6 and 33 ended up with bogeys while ceding 69 pars and seven birdies.

The easiest proved to be the par-5 No. 13 with three eagles produced and 32 birdies made. However, 24 players made a bogey on the 517-yard hole and one holing out with a double-bogey for a 4.90 average.